A Big Little Life

By Dean Koontz

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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

In a profound, funny, and beautifully rendered portrait of a beloved companion, bestselling novelist Dean Koontz remembers the golden retriever who changed his life. A retired service dog, Trixie was three when Dean and his wife, Gerda, welcomed her into their home. She was superbly trained, but her greatest gifts couldn’t be taught: her keen intelligence, her innate joy, and an uncanny knack for living in the moment. Whether chasing a tennis ball or protecting those she loved, Trixie gave all she had to everything she did, inspiring Dean and Gerda to trust their instincts and recapture a sense of wonder that will remain with them always. Trixie lived fewer than twelve years; in this wide world, she was a little thing. But in every way that mattered, she lived a big life.

CBS Sunday Morning featured A Big Little Life in a rare interview with Dean Koontz that focuses on his philanthropic efforts with and affection for dogs. View it here: http://youtu.be/40bWUc6k_J8

From the Trade Paperback edition.

Reviews

Beautiful tribute to Trixie

5

By Imacontreras

I could relate to so many of the stories told, as I have an amazing beautiful, super sweet golden retriever myself. I'm happy to hear of the great work being done at CCI.

A Big Little Life

5

By Ragnar's Mom

This book was amazing and so inspirational. The feelings were expressed so beautifully. I really enjoyed it and can't wait for my daughters (ages 10 and 12) to read it. I think I will read it again with them😊

Helpful, but my relationship was so much more

5

By Neurosurgeon gal

After losing my darling 11 year old Papillon just over 4 months ago, I never thought life could go on; I'm still not sure.
She was more than a dog, she was my daughter. I had her before her birth. Sonograms, on the phone during her birth, multiple photos daily until I picked her up at 7 weeks. It we like an adoption of a human child, but felt more like I had a surrogate carrying my child.
Dior, was always there with me.
I never left her home alone, only with my mother, father or close friends for short times. She went on every holiday, and on every form on transportation except for sky-diving and hang-gliding. She had been to every continent (including Antarctica and the Galapagos Island), save Australia & New Zealand due to their 6-9 week quarantine for dogs.
She was a trained service dog, but it was I who lived in her service. We were each other's "owners." I always have and still hate that word. She was my daughter, I her mother. My grief is deep and wide.
This book has found a sort of similarity between my girl and Dean's. Both of our families knew how much our canine children meant to us, and the devastation that their deaths would cause in our lives. My family, friends and colleagues never thought my relationship was odd, and I am a neurosurgeon. People would argue as to who was "babysitting" her while I was performing surgery. She used her own form of sign language to get what she wanted, and people understood roughly 99% of the time. There will never be another like her; like my baby Dior, who died way too young.
The book was cathartic, but in the end made me wish that I could look over and see Dior on the end of the sofa ready to go out for a run, or ready to play. Instead, I look in another direction and see her cremains, a lock of her hair, and a final paw print that the crematorium put together for me.
I am an atheist, but I now understand why people invented deities; it gives you something/one to blame when things go wrong.

A Big Little Life

2

By Riot Girl 82

It is a joyous reminder of how truly sacred life is.

An Excellent, Life Appreciating Read

5

By Corrina2008

I can't express how enlightening and heartfelt this book is. Dean Koontz absolutely makes the reader completely fall in love with Trixie and, probably not on purpose, he and his wife as well. Their dedication to their special girl and the effect on their lives she had was so personal and touching to read. It definitely reaffirms my belief in destiny and magical things, beyond our traditional understanding. And love... So much love.
Buy this book and enjoy the journey; you will not regret it.

A Big Little Life....What I learned.

5

By Caetana5

I wasn't sure this nook would interest me,but it ended up making my heart soar with joy.
I learned about Ted's conversion to wonder and joy and God because of the innocence and play of his adopted daughter.One learns a great deal about Koontz and how his philosophy of life developed and is so richly enjoyed in his books.
I had just finished his latest,"Innocence", which is a life changer and now I see the seed planted for this amazing book.

A Big Little Life

5

By HeidiStH

I would recommend this book to all who know the depths to which we cherish animals.

A Big Little Life

5

By Doc Orley Callahan

It has been a long time since I have had a dog. My wife and I have had cats and are cat lovers. However, this book about this wonderful and amazing dog makes me want to go out and get a dog. Perhaps even a Golden Retriever and maybe even from CCI. Mr. Koontz's writing so vividly displays the beauty and wonder of "Man's best Friend" and in this case Woman's too that we as humans can enjoy so deeply the love we give and the love we receive from our domesticated animals. This book assisted me in opening up my mind more than it was before, and it was already opened to these beliefs, to understand and look at the lives of animals as a wonderful opportunity to enjoy them even more in part because Mr. Koontz so eloquently widened my consciousnesses to more and deeper insight into animals.
This wonderful Big Little book is a worthy read for many reasons. For that and more of what I mentioned above and also as a way to know more about the author his wife and his life that I did not know before. His profound abilities to write incredible tales of strangeness had made me think that he was more like Hannibal Lector than a kind and generous man with a beautiful mind. The book shows an obvious desire to share with the world his thoughts and beliefs of our souls, life and death, healing and understanding, beauty and love and to do so while sharing an important part of his and his wife's life and that of their beloved pet Trixie Koontz. If you loved animals you will likely love them even more after reading this very fine book.

Laughed and cried.

5

By ChuckR789

Koontz shows why he's one of the best storytellers of our time!

A Big Little Life

5

By Rae DoubleU

A must-read for anyone who has "owned" a dog that you KNEW, in your heart and in spite of all university logic, was a window to God.